testimonials

From our members

“I’ve really benefited from meeting people at WIN events.  It reminds me that I’m not out there on my own and leads to opportunities I never knew existed”.

Maralyn O’Keefe, The Glass and Art Gallery

“WIN doesn’t just talk the talk about enterprising women.  It puts them at the heart of everything it does”.

Rumana Zahn, Rumana Natural Health

 “WIN has been a fantastic source of support and helped me on my journey.  I’ve grown, my business has grown and now the sky’s the limit”.

Amanda Morpeth, AMS Ltd

“WIN has had a massive impact on myself and my business, the networking opportunities have been fantastic and I have met some phenomenally inspiring women.  WIN is a real role model for anybody involved in women's development and they should sit up and take notice of what WIN have achieved”

Judith Healey, Partner, Double Trouble

"Having spent 26 years outside the region, I felt a stranger on my return.  WIN has been a wonderful vehicle for me to network with so many interesting and diverse women, get myself known and create a greater awareness of my business role".

Delene Tipple, Centre for Life

“I joined WIN 5 years ago at an early stage of my business development and was delighted to be part of something that supported women like myself who wanted to grow by learning and being inspired by other successful women.  WIN offers just that opportunity, it offers information, support and advice from other women in business but it also celebrates the successes and helps motivate other women on their journey to success.” 

Nickie Gott, She’s Gott It! Events, Marketing & PR

"WIN has provided us with the opportunities, motivation and encouragement to succeed as a women-led ICT business in the North-East.  Receiving the runners-up award for Most Innovative Business Idea in 2001 gave us tremendous encouragement.  Through recognition of our business achievements it opened up new opportunities to work with other like-minded women and also helped us gain new business opportunities. 

WIN continues to support our business and we are actively involved in delivering a range of e-business seminars with them in our specialist area of ICT"

Denise Franks/Maureen Storey, Virtuoso E-Business Consultancy and Training

“Anyone who comes into contact with WIN cannot fail to appreciate that they have developed a very special organisation that manages to provide not only basic foundation information for new and potential entrepreneurs but also enlightening, forward thinking and challenging development opportunities for the more established members and businesses.
 
WIN gives me information, contacts, development opportunities, access to a wealth of expertise, a forum to air and share my views and learn about others and above all the inspiration to keep going when the going gets tough"

Dee Stephenson, Costa Blanca A la Carte

“There is a tremendous buzz to be had from plugging into the vibrant WIN community. This energy can definitely propel your business to the next level.”
Ann Bowen-Jones, Awaken.co.uk

From Support Organisations and Partners

“ I am delighted to have worked with WIN which continues to deliver exemplary practice in support of women entrepreneurs. I am pleased that the Small Business Service has been able to support WIN's IF ONLY publication - a wonderful collection of case studies and an inspiration to so many women.'

Martin Wyn Griffith, Chief Executive, Small Business Service, UK

“Every cause needs its champions, and I have found WIN to be tireless champions of women's enterprise. To be able to give women a sense that starting out on their own is daunting...but exciting, is challenging...but rewarding - that is what WIN do.

It's so important to provide role models for women at the start of this journey, so that they can think "You know, I could do that", and a publication such as Northern Lights achieves this. In straightforward terms, it gives fledgling female entrepreneurs a route map towards success”.

Judith Moran, Street Cred, UK

“As a woman who has forged a career in business and seen many of my female peers succeed, I know there is a massive seam of talent out there that we need to be tapping into. If women started businesses at the same rate as men, there would be a further 150,000 business start-ups every year - this is where One NorthEast, through our work with Women in the Network are trying to make a difference.”

Margaret Fay, Chairman, Regional Development Agency, One NorthEast, UK

"Women Into the Network is a great forum for women in business to meet up and exchange views. The events are always informative and provide an excellent opportunity to network, socialise and learn".

Susan Howe, Eversheds (Newcastle), UK

"Women into the Network shows the very real progress women are making in business and the tremendous contribution they are already making to the economy.

Barclays is committed to promoting equality and diversity both within the bank and with customers and the community".

Tina Lowes, Small Business Area Manger, Barclays Bank plc, UK

“I have been a member of Women into the Network over the past 4 years. I have thoroughly enjoyed attending a wide range of networking events during that time. There is such a variety of events to attend such as charity fashion shows, networking lunches & regular courses & seminars aimed at developing inter-personal skills such as marketing, presentation skills etc. 

“I look forward to receiving my regular updates by email from Lisa Vickers, and of course there are the North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards each year - last year’s ceremony was fantastic”

Christina Foley, Senior Commercial Finance Manger, Northern Rock, UK

“I am delighted to have worked with WIN in the North East, where I launched one of the first SEED workshops in the UK.  The support and connection with Dinah Bennett, Lisa Vickers and the WIN team has been a major plus in the growth of SEED”.

Lynne Franks, SEED, UK